DiSciullo is the only Team McGregor to advance to the semfinals on TUF 31, though Brad Katona, McGregor’s teammate at SBG Ireland, jumped ship after the opening round, the only fighter to switch teams.

We’re recapping every episode of TUF 31 this season. Spoilers follow, turn back now if you’re not up-to-date!

Cody Gibson and Katona get into it in the TUF house during episode 12. “I’m going to hurt you in the finals. Because all you’re going to do is hump my leg,” Gibson complains about a hypothetical match-up in the final. “That’s all you do. You’re afraid to fight. Let’s face the facts. You’re absolutely scared sh*tless.”

“You’re just trying to get under my skin,” Katona retorted. He went to point out for that a fighter who’s “scared,” he’s returned to The Ultimate Fighter a second time (after winning it once), and would do it again.

“Just my existence angers him. His existence doesn’t bother me one bit,” Katona tells the cameras.

Of course, Gibson needs to win his way into the final before he worries about Katona, who has already secured a spot there.

DiSciullo opens the fight with a leg kick, but winds up taken down while out of position. Gibson then takes the back, raining down ground n’ pound and getting a body triangle on. DiSciullo fights the wrists, and manages to scramble out of the body triangle, but he can’t make it back to his feet. More ground fighting sees Gibson get the body lock back on. DiSciullo rolls to his back, and Gibson moves to mount, landing smashing elbows and a ridiculous amount of ground n’ pound. DiSciullo covers up, and the ref takes a look but opts to let it continue. DiSciullo actually briefly escapes and moves to his feet, but is soon dragged back down, and this time Gibson catches him in an arm-triangle choke. That brought about the tap — and it’s Cody Gibson moving to the final!

That means it will be Gibson vs. Katona in the bantamweight  final, which arrives at UFC 292 in Boston, MA this weekend.

“I do not take him lightly, but I don’t see him as much of a fighter. He’s afraid to fight,” Gibson says after the win. “For me, this is business as usual,” Katona tells the camera.

On to the final. Kurt Holobaugh vs. Austin Hubbard represent the lightweight side. But before that, the coaches face off. UFC President Dana White says the pair will indeed fight, though no date is announced. Chandler and McGregor stare down. “I wish it was right now,” an amped up McGregor exclaims.

The format this season played out as expected, and might have been the show’s biggest detriment. Putting newcomers (especially when the best now seem to go to the Contender Series) against seasoned UFC veterans was never going to turn out well for the rookies. And it didn’t. While McGregor will take flack for skipping weigh-ins and being the coach of record, ultimately the one-sided season was obvious from the outset — but at least we got some solid fights.

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It’s a pretty cool moment between opponents who just fought — being completely civil and supportive of each other. Not a side of fighting a lot of fans often get, and a reminder that The Ultimate Fighter still has something to offer fight fans.

We’re recapping every episode of TUF 31 this season — if you haven’t caught this week’s episode and are looking to stay spoiler-free, turn back now.

There’s one fight left in the opening round, and Conor McGregor’s team, comprised entirely of rookies, is 0-7 against Michael Chandler’s rookies. That sees McGregor bantamweight Rico DiSciullo paired up with Hunter Azure.

Conor works on the clinch game with DiSciullo early in the episode, then move to some striking drills. “Technique first, speed second, and power is in the back pocket,” McGregor tells his students.

We take a look at Azure’s home life, and his work at Fight Ready, where he coaches amateurs. “To win this show would mean the world to me. There’s no option but to win.” Azure came into the UFC by way of the Contender Series, and was splitting wins and losses, with the UFC opting not to renew his deal after a loss to Jack Shore in 2021.

Weigh-in day goes off without a hitch. “Rico is the last man standing for the prospects and the Team McGregor’s only hope to avoid a historic sweep, which would be the first time that has ever happened in Ultimate Fighter history,” observes UFC President Dana White.

Fight time. A quick start to DiSciullo versus Azure sees exchange after fiery exchange in the opening minute or two. When Azure takes the fight to the fence, DiSciullo batters him with hammer fists, but Azure completes the takedown. He nearly mounts, basically a three-quarter mount, which allows him to score some ground n’ pound. DiSciullo would get back up, only to be taken down again. This time, Azure goes to work on top with DiSciullo closing his guard at times. Azure moves to half-guard, but DiScuillo uses the fence to scramble out. Azure takes him right back down again, and piles on with more ground n’ pound finishing strong.

“Find that uppercut,” McGregor tells DiScuillo between rounds. “Phenomenal,” Chandler tells Azure.

DiSciullo stays well outside early in the second, staying long with his strikes to avoid the takeodwn. The opening minute sees DiSciullo land several nasty shots, but want happens next turns out to be one of the best finishes of the season. DiSciullo drops Azure with a right hand, then falls to his knees to deliver a smashing double-hammer fist! McGregor immediately erupts, running around the outside of the cage, while Azure looks completely out of it.

Roosevelt Roberts and McGregor then get into a bit of a shouting match, but it goes nowhere. After that, it’s time to look at the next round of match-ups, and Team McGregor is pulling for Rico to fight Timur Valiev. Dana White will set the final Ultimate Fighter 31 semifinal match-ups (we’ll get them next week); McGregor, meanwhile, lets DiSciullo drive his Lamborghini, a little celebration for a job well done.

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